Lighting system for pivotally mounting an elongated light bar to a support structure

Abstract

A lighting system configured to mount an elongated light bar to a mountable surface of a support structure, such as a roll bar, roll cage or other component of a motor vehicle. The light bar has a linear light module disposed in a housing that is configured to produce light therefrom. The lighting system has a first mounting assembly pivotally attached to the first end of the light bar and a second mounting assembly pivotally attached to the second end of the light bar. Each mounting assembly has a mounting member connected to a mechanism that removably attaches to the mountable surface. The mounting mechanism may be configured to clamp to a tubular or other shaped surface or abut against a planar surface. In one configuration, the mounting mechanism fully encircles the mountable surface. The lighting system may also include a mechanism for limiting pivotal movement of the light bar.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lighting system, comprising:
 at least one elongated light bar having a first end and a second end, said light bar comprising a housing structured and arranged to house at least one linear light module so as to discharge light from said light module through a transparent surface of said housing, said at least one light module configured to produce said light, said transparent surface of said housing generally disposed between said first end and said second end of said light bar along a side of said light bar; 
 a first mounting assembly pivotally attached to said first end of said light bar; and 
 a second mounting assembly pivotally attached to said second end of said light bar, 
 wherein each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly comprise a means for removably mounting said light bar to a mountable surface of a support structure and a mounting member interconnecting said mounting means and said light bar, said mounting member having have a first end adjacent said housing of said light bar and a second end attached to or integral with said mounting means. 
 
     
     
       2. The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein said first end of said mounting member of said first mounting assembly is in abutting relation with said first end of said light bar and said first end of said mounting member of said second mounting assembly is in abutting relation with said second end of said light bar. 
     
     
       3. The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said mounting member of said first mounting assembly and said mounting member of said second mounting assembly are structured and arranged to dispose said light bar in spaced apart relation to said mountable surface. 
     
     
       4. The lighting system of  claim 1  further comprising a means associated with at least one of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly for limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar relative to said support structure. 
     
     
       5. The lighting system of  claim 4 , wherein said limiting means comprises an inwardly disposed ledge structure attached to or integral with said mounting member of said first mounting assembly and an inwardly disposed ledge structure attached to or integral with said mounting member of said second mounting assembly, each of said ledge structures being sized and configured to abut said housing of said light bar when limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar. 
     
     
       6. The lighting system of  claim 4 , wherein said limiting means comprises a slot in said mounting member of said first mounting assembly, a pivot limiter at said first end of said light bar, a slot in said mounting member of said second mounting assembly and a pivot limiter at said second end of said light bar, each of said slots being sized and configured to receive, respectively, said pivot limiter and to abut said pivot limiter when limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar. 
     
     
       7. The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly are configured so as to removably secure said light bar to said mountable surface. 
     
     
       8. The lighting system of  claim 7 , wherein said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly has a first engaging member, a second engaging member and one or more connecting elements, said one or more connecting elements selected so as to attach said first engaging member and said second engaging member together and onto said mountable surface of said support structure. 
     
     
       9. The lighting system of  claim 8 , wherein said first engaging member and said second engaging member are cooperatively configured to clamp each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly onto said mountable surface. 
     
     
       10. The lighting system of  claim 9 , wherein said first engaging member and said second engaging member jointly define a support aperture that is correspondingly sized and configured with a structure shape of said mountable surface so as to abuttingly engage said mountable surface of said support structure by at least substantially fully encircling said mountable surface thereof so as to provide a full 360 degree clamping engagement therewith. 
     
     
       11. The lighting system of  claim 7 , wherein said mountable surface is at least substantially planar and said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly comprise an attaching member having an attaching surface that is cooperatively configured with said mountable surface so said attaching member may be placed in abutting relationship with said mountable surface. 
     
     
       12. The lighting system of  claim 11 , wherein said mounting means further comprise one or more connecting elements selected so as to removably attach said attaching member to said mountable surface. 
     
     
       13. A lighting system, comprising:
 at least one elongated light bar having a first end and a second end, said light bar comprising a housing structured and arranged to house at least one linear light module so as to discharge light from said light module through a transparent surface of said housing, said at least one light module configured to produce said light, said transparent surface of said housing generally disposed between said first end and said second end of said light bar along a side of said light bar; 
 a first mounting assembly having a mounting member with a first end pivotally attached to said first end of said light bar and a second end attached to or integral with a means for mounting said first mounting assembly to a mountable surface of a support structure; 
 a second mounting assembly having a mounting member with a first end pivotally attached to said second end of said light bar and a second end attached to or integral with a means for mounting said second mounting assembly to a mountable surface of said support structure, wherein said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly are structured and arranged to removably secure said light bar to said support structure; and 
 means associated with at least one of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly for limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar relative to said support structure. 
 
     
     
       14. The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein said limiting means comprises an inwardly disposed ledge structure attached to or integral with said mounting member of said first mounting assembly and an inwardly disposed ledge structure attached to or integral with said mounting member of said second mounting assembly, each of said ledge structures being sized and configured to abut said housing of said light bar when limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar. 
     
     
       15. The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein said limiting means comprises a slot in said mounting member of said first mounting assembly, a pivot limiter at said first end of said light bar, a slot in said mounting member of said second mounting assembly and a pivot limiter at said second end of said light bar, each of said slots being sized and configured to receive, respectively, said pivot limiter and to abut said pivot limiter when limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar. 
     
     
       16. The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly has a first engaging member, a second engaging member and one or more connecting elements, said first engaging member and said second engaging member cooperatively configured to clamp each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly onto said mountable surface, said one or more connecting elements selected so as to attach said first engaging member and said second engaging member together and onto said mountable surface of said support structure. 
     
     
       17. The lighting system of  claim 16 , wherein said first engaging member and said second engaging member jointly define a support aperture that is correspondingly sized and configured with a structure shape of said mountable surface so as to abuttingly engage said mountable surface of said support structure by at least substantially fully encircling said mountable surface thereof so as to provide a full 360 degree clamping engagement therewith. 
     
     
       18. The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein said mountable surface is at least substantially planar and said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly comprise an attaching member having an attaching surface that is cooperatively configured with said mountable surface so said attaching member may be placed in abutting relationship with said mountable surface and one or more connecting elements selected so as to removably attach said attaching member to said mountable surface. 
     
     
       19. A lighting system, comprising:
 at least one elongated light bar having a first end and a second end, said light bar comprising a housing structured and arranged to house at least one linear light module so as to discharge light from said light module through a transparent surface of said housing, said at least one light module configured to produce said light; 
 a first mounting assembly having a mounting member with a first end pivotally attached to said first end of said light bar and a second end attached to or integral with a means for mounting said first mounting assembly to a mountable surface of a support structure; 
 a second mounting assembly having a mounting member with a first end pivotally attached to said second end of said light bar and a second end attached to or integral with a means for mounting said second mounting assembly to a mountable surface of said support structure, wherein said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly are structured and arranged to removably secure said light bar to said support structure; and 
 means at each of said first end and said second end of said light bar and associated with each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly for limiting the pivotal movement of said light bar relative to said support structure. 
 
     
     
       20. The lighting system of  claim 19 , wherein said mounting means of each of said first mounting assembly and said second mounting assembly has a first engaging member, a second engaging member and one or more connecting elements, said first engaging member and said second engaging member jointly defining a support aperture that is correspondingly sized and configured with a structure shape of said mountable surface so as to abuttingly engage said mountable surface of said support structure by at least substantially fully encircling said mountable surface thereof so as to provide a full 360 degree clamping engagement therewith, said one or more connecting elements selected so as to attach said first engaging member and said second engaging member together and onto said mountable surface of said support structure.